So he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here without a wedding garment?’ And he was speechless.
Parallel translations
- WEB and he said to him, ‘Friend, how did you come in here not wearing wedding clothing?’ He was speechless.
- KJV And he saith unto him, Friend, how camest thou in hither not having a wedding garment? And he was speechless.
- BSB ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ But the man was speechless.
- NASB and he *said to him, ‘Friend, how did you get in here without wedding clothes?’ And the man was speechless.
- NLT ‘Friend,’ he asked, ‘how is it that you are here without wedding clothes?’ But the man had no reply.
Scripture taken from the New King James Version®. Copyright © 1982 by Thomas Nelson. Used by permission. All rights reserved.
Scripture quotations taken from the (NASB®) New American Standard Bible®, Copyright © 1960, 1971, 1977, 1995, 2020 by The Lockman Foundation. Used by permission. All rights reserved. lockman.org
Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.
Quick answer
Confronted about his missing wedding garment, the man is speechless. He has no excuse for approaching the King unprepared.
Overview
The king's question gives the man opportunity to answer, yet he is silent, having no defense. His speechlessness pictures how no one can stand before God claiming a righteousness they do not possess. The verse warns that presumption upon God's grace, without true faith, leaves a person condemned and without excuse.
Cross-references & the web
Cross-references · 13
- Matt 20:13“But he answered one of them, ‘Friend, I am doing you no wrong. Didn’t you agree with me for a denarius?
- 1 Sam 2:9He will keep the feet of his holy ones, but the wicked shall be put to silence in darkness; for no man shall prevail by strength.
- Job 5:16So the poor has hope, and injustice shuts her mouth.
- Jer 2:26As the thief is ashamed when he is found, so is the house of Israel ashamed; they, their kings, their princes, and their priests, and their prophets;
- Titus 3:11knowing that such a one is perverted and sins, being self-condemned.
- Matt 26:50Jesus said to him, “Friend, why are you here?” Then they came and laid hands on Jesus, and took him.
- Ps 107:42The upright will see it, and be glad. All the wicked will shut their mouths.
- Jer 2:23“How can you say, ‘I am not defiled. I have not gone after the Baals’? See your way in the valley. Know what you have done. You are a swift dromedary traversing her ways;
- Acts 5:2–11and kept back part of the price, his wife also being aware of it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles’ feet.
- Acts 8:20–23But Peter said to him, “May your silver perish with you, because you thought you could obtain the gift of God with money!
- Rom 3:19Now we know that whatever things the law says, it speaks to those who are under the law, that every mouth may be closed, and all the world may be brought under the judgment of God.
- 1 Cor 4:5Therefore judge nothing before the time, until the Lord comes, who will both bring to light the hidden things of darkness, and reveal the counsels of the hearts. Then each man will get his praise from God.
- Matt 5:20For I tell you that unless your righteousness exceeds that of the scribes and Pharisees, there is no way you will enter into the Kingdom of Heaven.
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Christ at the center
Matthew presents Jesus as the promised King — son of David, son of Abraham — the new Moses and true Israel in whom every prophecy reaches 'that it might be fulfilled.'
How Matthew 22:12 points to him is part of the one story that runs through all Scripture — meet Jesus at the heart of the web, or follow a trail that traces him from Genesis to Revelation.
Original language
Each word below is tagged with its Strong’s number — tap one to see the underlying Greek word, its meaning, and every verse that uses it.